Light of the World: Pentecost Weighs In

While I was studying Matthew 5:14-16 this week, I came across the following quote from Dwight Pentecost:

The nature of light is to shine. There is no such thing as light that does not communicate itself. There is no such thing as self-contained light. Light may originate in a distant star and travel a span of light-years, but it does not get tired of shining and cease to shine. Its nature is to shine. Christ says He has made us lights in the world, and we are not self-contained. It is the nature of the child of God who has been made light to communicate the light given to him. -The Sermon on the Mount, 81

This really encourged and exhorted me. There is no such thing as self-contained light, and yet we live like it everyday. We look more like camoflauged creatures than radiant light or cities on a hill.

Wednesday Night - 2 John: Truth and Love

Last night we continued our series of going through the Bible backwards. This week we were looking at 2 John. Though oftentimes overlooked, it is a wonderful book. Here is the description:

Truth and love are inseperable. One cannot have love without affirming truth. To do so is a masquerade; not real love. In 2 John, the "elder" calls on us to live in truth (love) and defend the truth (love). Love is then defined as both living godly in full obedience and defending the faith against heretics. This is certainly a message we all need to hear.

2 John: Truth and Love Notes

February 2010 Church Newsletter Available Online

This Sunday we will be handing out the monthly newsletter for the church. I have posted these online and you can download it by clicking here. You can always download the most recent newsletter by clicking on the link on the left of this page throughout the month.

February 2010 Church Newsletter

January 24, 2010: Matthew 5:13 - Stuck Between Salt and Manure: The Call to Preserve the Gospel

Here is this weeks message and notes from Matthew 5:13. All audio and notes are free.

Audio
Notes

On Sunday night, we discussed the transcendence of the gospel. This is a subject that has been on my heart and mind for some time now. Virtually every heretical doctrine is an assault on the gospel's transcendence. I preached a message on the transcendence of the gospel and they have been posted online. To go back and listen to it, click here. To download the notes, click here.

Wednesday Night Bible Study - 3 John: Truth and Love

Here are the notes from our Wednesday Night Bible study on 3 John. Though many overlook this little book (it is the shortest in the Bible) it is an important book nonetheless. Truth and love are inseperable.

Notes

January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12: If Your Joyful and You Know It . . .

Here is this weeks message and notes.

Audio
Notes

For more:
Sermon Podcast
In More Detail: Repost of the Beatitudes
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

In More Detail: Repost of the Beatitudes

This morning we studied the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). Last year we spent 4 weeks looking at this wonderful text. To review, below are the sermons from our study:

Matthew 5:1-4 - The Joy of Spiritual Humility - Audio
Matthew 5:5 - Starving? Why Wait? - Audio
Matthew 5:6-9 - The Joy of Holiness - Audio
Matthew 5:10-12 - The Joy of Being Hated - Audio

This weeks message will be posted soon.

Find it Here Media Campaign

One of the first, if not the first, advertisements from the Kentucky Baptist Convetion promoting Find it Here has been released. We will be participating in the KBC's attempt at reaching every home in Kentucky with the gospel. Here is the ad:

Top Fifteen Signs Your Sermon Isn’t Going Well

I found this hillarious and thought I would share it with everyone. Here are the Top 15 Signs that your sermon isn't going well.

15. Your associate pastor is warmign up in the bullpen.

14. The praise band begins playing you off the stage.

13. You are using PowerPoint.

11. The congregation is fulling in the blanks of your outline before you get there.

10. You think the yrics to a bluegrass song are really connecting with your audience.

9. When you pause for dramtic effect, several people giggle.

8. Your cell phone starts ringing, and you answer it.

7. The person signing for th edeaf just pulled on mittens.

6. When the children are dismissed to junior church, most of their parents go, too.

5. Your sermon took shape over a glass of wine and volume three of Left Behind.

4. Your interpreter just rolled his eyes and put your last statement in quotation marks.

3. Desperate mothers are pinching their babies.

2. The ushers are handing out refunds.

1. You began your sermon with "Top 10 signs your sermon isn't going well."

h/t: Mike Wittmer

The Gospel of John Reading Plan

Remember your homework? I am wanting everyone to read through the gospel of John through this month. Since it is already the 4th, I have extended it through February 6. What follows is a generic reading plan for us follow. On average, you will be reading about 4 chapters a week. That is a little over a 1/2 a chapter a day which is very, very doable.

If at anytime you do not understand what you read do one of two things:

1. Stick with it and do some studying on your own.

2. Hang in there and keep reading. Ask me any questions you may have by either calling me, emailing/facebooking me, or waiting to talk about it on Sunday.

January 3-9: Read John 1-4

January 10-16: Read John 5-9

January 17-23: Read John 10-13

January 24-30: Read John 14-18

January 31-February 6: Read John 19-22

To make things even easier, if you click on the links above it will take you to the actual text in the English Standard Version (ESV). This means that you don't even have to leave your screen to read the text.

I strongly encourage everyone to read the Gospel of John. It is, in my opinion, the best place to start.

January 2010 Newsletter Available Online

To download this months Newsletter, click here.

January 3, 2010 - Matthew 4:12-25 - Follow Me: The Call to Surrender and Leave

Here's the audio and notes from this mornings sermon. I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Notes
Audio

Jude: Contend Earnestly for the Faith Once For All Delivered to the Saints

We have finally finished our study of the Epistle of Jude. It is my favorite book in the Bible and its message is one that the Church needs to hear. I have made all of my notes from this series available online. I hope it will be helpful to you as you study this incredible book that is so necessary for today.

Let this be the generation that discovers the gospel and contends earnestly for it.

Notes

December 27, 2009: Repentance: Costly Grace

Here is the audio and notes from December 27, 2009 on Matthew 3:1-12.

Notes
Audio

December 20, 2009 - Worship the King: The Folly of Misplaced Allegiance

I know that I'm several weeks behind, but I've been waiting to set the Internet up at the Parsonage. Here is the sermon and the sermon notes from December 9, 2009 from Matthew 2.

Notes
Audio

How Much Do You Hate Others?: The Necessity of Being Fishers of Men

Tomorrow morning we will be looking at Matthew 4:12-25. In the middle of that passage is the famous account of Jesus calling on Peter and Andrew to "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Sadly, most of us want to follow Jesus, but not surrender to him. The following video is a gut check. It is sad whenever an atheist has a better understanding of the Great Commission than Christians: